Marianne's Lyin' Eyes
by Overshadowed Medallion
Summary: AU Song-fic. How, in a different universe, Marianne needs someone to fill the emptiness. Song: Lyin' Eyes by The Eagles. T for some implied adult themes and one cuss word.


**A/N: **Yup, my first songfic. I wrote this in an hour or so, maybe two. (Like eleven- or twelve-something p.m. to one-something a.m.) I had an urge to listen to this song, and my mind randomly said, "Hey, that'd make a good song for a song-fic about Marianne!" So, I wound up with this. If there are any mistakes, feel free to tell me.

**Disclaimer: **Code Geass and all characters mentioned* belong to Goro Taniguchi (I think that's right...?) and Sunrise and CLAMP. _Lyin'__ Eyes_ belongs to that epic group called _The Eagles_. I only own the idea of mixing the two and the order of the words. I don't even own this computer (technically, it belongs to my parents, but I use it the most).

(_Indented _words are, obviously, the song, unless they appear in the middle of a paragraph/sentence; that's for emphasis)

* * *

><p><em>City girls seem to find out early<em>

_How to open doors with just a smile_

A poor city girl. That was all she had been before. Marianne had simply been another scamp on the streets, barely able to eke out a living. Until she had the good fortune of proving her worth in a Knightmare, getting in one by flashing her most fetching smiles – among other things; it had been difficult, but well worth it. That was when things seemed to only get better from there.

_A rich old man_

_And she won't have to worry_

After proving herself over and over, finally landing a seat in the coveted Knights of the Rounds, she had caught a man's eye. Not just any man: Emperor Charles zi Britannia himself, ruler of the Holy Empire of Britannia. She had been chosen to be one of his many queen-consorts.

_She'll dress up all in lace _

_And go in style_

She still has the dress she wore for her wedding, when she became Marianne vi Britannia. A beautiful, pure white, composed of silk under yards of lace. She was considered a great beauty; not bad for common blood. Many were outraged at the decision of the Emperor, but few dared challenge him outright. Finally, she had everything a woman could dream of… Or so she thought.

_Late at night,_

_A big ol' house gets lonely,_

_I guess ev'ry form of refuge has its price_

Aries Villa. Her own personal castle. It had everything: maids, butlers, four personal chefs, twenty spare bedrooms, ornate furnishings, sprawling and well-kept grounds, and multiple guards who worked out of a security booth the size of a small house. But it was also full of emptiness. The only exception was when one of the other consorts or one of the young princes or princesses agreed to join her for tea. Her castle was a prison. Large, ornate, and longed for, but a prison, nonetheless; it left her lonely and lost, in need of a loyal companion besides those who had no choice but to bow when she stepped into the same room and address her formally, who were forbidden to do anything except chores without her say-so.

_And it breaks her heart to think her love is only_

_Given to a man with hands as cold as ice_

Rumor had it she was one of his Majesty's favorite women. If it were true, she only saw it on rare occasion, when she was called in for dinner or to his chambers. Women trapped outside liked to imagine that royal men were good lovers, eager to please and always doing everything _perfectly_. Little did they know that the opposite was true, in Marianne's case with the emperor, at least. He was demanding, cold, and distant. She always tried to prove herself worthy of him, but seemed to fall lower and lower every time. She isn't sure how much longer she can take the stress and misuse. She was a proud warrior, not a demure creature that came at every beck and call from that man… or so she told herself, but every time she was called for, her answer was always eager, hoping to be able to regain his fascination. But she failed every time; and she needed an escape.

_So she tells him she must go out for the evening_

_To comfort an old friend who's feeling down_

She checked her makeup in the mirror, making sure it was perfect. She may be popular, but she had learned how to blend in, and blend in she did. Plain, worn jeans; simple, low-cut tank top; cheap, easily broken jewelry; hair in a ruffled mess that looked rather pathetic, a far cry from her usual and preferred styles; way too much makeup; brown colored contacts. She had done this so often in the past month: dress herself down to go out and play. She left a message with the maid that always told her of the Emperor's summons, the same one as usual: an old friend was in town for a parent's funeral and she decided to check in on them. Same message as always… and it still had yet to be needed. She had never before been out when she had been summoned.

_But he knows where she's going as she's leaving_

_She's headed for the cheating side of town_

"Sir," the aide said demurely, "one of her maids has informed me that she has decided to visit a friend that is in town for a funeral, to see if she could comfort them in any way."

Charles frowned at the news. "I see…" he grunted, motioning for the aide to leave, which he did. He looked out his grand window and sipped his red wine, glaring at the city lights. He knew very well where she was going. The other side of the city seemed to be a favorite place for his wives when they felt neglected. The other side of Pendragon… What better place to cheat then on the dirty, filthy side of town?

_You can't hide your lyin' eyes_

_And your smile is a thin disguise_

_I thought by now you'd realize_

_There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes_

Marianne was far from the first queen consort that opted to search for another man, and Charles zi Britannia knew she would most likely be far from the last. He thought he had always known when a woman was cheating on him; something in their manner, their way of speaking, the way they held themselves around him… something had always given them away. How long had dear Marianne been cheating? He hadn't noticed any difference in her when he saw her last, but that woman was devious. She probably knew how to hide her secrets well.

_On the other side of town a boy is waiting  
>With fiery eyes and dreams no one could steal<em>

He mulled around outside their favorite bar, itching to see her. He had gotten the call less than an hour ago. It may have been forbidden in the eyes of some, but he couldn't resist his old flame; the flame that had never died out and had been forbidden even when they were children. But maybe, just maybe, she could find a way back to him…

_She drives on through the night anticipating_

'_Cause he makes her feel the way she used to feel_

Marianne drummed her fingernails on the steering wheel of her old pickup. Upon becoming a queen consort, she had almost gotten rid of it, but decided to keep it at the last possible minute; now, she was ever grateful to herself that she did. She leans forward slightly, revving the engine, impatient for the light to turn green. The farther she got from the castle, the less traffic barred her way. Her only problem was those _damn street lights_. Finally, it changed, and she sped on, eager for her night of escape to begin.

_She rushes to his arms_

_They fall together_

_She whispers that it's only for a while_

Finally, her old dark gray Chevy pulled up and she leaped out and rushed over to him, making her part-time lover stumble with the force of her momentum; had he been any lesser man, they would have fallen onto the pavement. He goes in for a kiss that she eagerly returns. Upon his inevitable question, she replies, "Only a bit longer, Jeremiah, don't worry."

_She swears that soon she'll be coming back forever_

_She pulls away _

_And leaves him with a smile_

They both trembled as they held each other in the old, creaky bed in their usual broken-down hotel room. He nuzzles her head and can't help but ask, "When will I see you again?"

Marianne smiles up at him, eyes clouded with exhaustion. "Don't worry, love," she pauses to kiss the tip of his nose before continuing, "soon, it'll be us. No more sneaking around. No more lying. No more hiding our love. I promise, I'll soon come back to you for the rest of our lives. Forever." She crawled out of bed, redresses, and smiles warmly at Jeremiah Gottwald as she exits the room. She got back into her home via the backdoor, which she requested be kept unlocked that night.

_You can't hide your lyin' eyes_

_And your smile is a thin disguise_

_I thought by now you'd realize_

_There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes_

She smiled at the maid who told her little white lie. She had been informed earlier that night. The maid's eyes followed her mistress as Lady Marianne walked drowsily up the ornate steps and to her extremely decorative room. She knew where Marianne had been. It was plain in her eyes she had been _there_ again, with the same man if the slight smell of cologne was anything to judge by. But why? The poor maid couldn't understand why she wouldn't want to be available every night for the Emperor. She would have understood if it were any noble, be it a baron, duke, or anyone from a rank in between. But why royalty? Why would the mistress wish to abandon such a lifestyle?

_She gets up and pours herself a strong one_

_And stares up at the stars in the sky_

With her current condition, it was absolutely forbidden for Lady Marianne vi Britannia to consume alcohol, which was the reason the servants had cleared the house of it, just in case. But that hadn't stopped her from smuggling in a bottle of malted scotch. She looked up at the sky from her large bedroom window and found herself deeply regretting so much, such as marrying the Emperor and allowing Jeremiah to become a part of her personal guard.

_Another night_

_It's gonna be a long one_

_She draws the shade and hangs her head to cry_

It had all started when she had discovered she was pregnant. There was no way at the time it could have been Jeremiah's child; she hadn't seen him in a month because he was busy on a mission for the military. He returned two weeks after she was informed and she confided in him, spurring him to apply to be a member of her personal guard. He had gotten in, despite the whispered protests she gave him, and quickly became the guard everyone trusted. But he had been mortally wounded defending her from an assassination attempt a couple months after obtaining the post. He had died a mere hour ago. Her heart hurt. She had enjoyed speaking with him freely when the servants weren't around, and had gone to him numerous times for advice and quiet approval. She already missed him bitterly. She downed a few shots, drew the curtains, curled up on her over-sized bed, and wept herself to a fitful sleep.

_She wonders how it ever got this crazy_

_She thinks about a boy she knew in school_

_Did she get tired_

_Or did she just get lazy?_

_She's so far gone she feels just like a fool_

Marianne watched in silence with the rest of the congregation at his funeral, carefully disguised, only one plainclothes bodyguard by her side. Friends, family, and comrades praised Jeremiah, things he did, his traits, virtues, and gave long, caring, heart-wrenching speeches about him and their relationship with him. Marianne listened without speaking, thinking about how he had been during their school years. He had been a rich boy, a little high-and-mighty, but handsome, smart, and had shown promise. She had been nothing but a poor commoner. But they had been close in secret. Every time they were together, it was in secret or in obscurity. The only time they could openly be together, even if not romantically, was in the last couple months when he worked selflessly for her. And she had been selfish and demanding. She had been tired of doing what everyone else told her to do – something she seemed to do more than give the orders – and had taken that out on Jeremiah. Or maybe she had simply gotten more lax with listening. Either way, she knew that she would not get over him for a long time, if ever.

_My, oh my, you sure know how to arrange things_

_You set it up so well_

_So carefully_

_Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things_

_You're still the same old girl you used to be_

Unbeknownst to her, an old high school friend that had left her memory had recognized her at the funeral, and had known the look in her eyes, the same longing, loving look she used to cast on Jeremiah in high school, but this time with more of the former; the I'd-die-if-I-could-just-have-him look. Her heart went out for Lady Marianne vi Britannia when Viletta realized that there was a strong possibility that the Lady had been close to her bodyguard – who was rumored to soon become her personal knight – before his untimely death. This hadn't hit the news, of course, not even the gossip channels, but Viletta Nu understood well how good Marianne was at… arranging things for her own good. No doubt, she had set it up with the utmost caution… Viletta smirked as she stepped out of the military graveyard. She may have so much status, prestige, and fame… but Marianne vi Britannia was still the same as she had been as a child, pursuing something she shouldn't, something forbidden. Ad-jun had been Marianne's nickname, given to her by Ms. Nu, her own acronym for adrenaline junkie… and that the queen consort always had been.

_You can't hide your lyin' eyes_

_And your smile is a thin disguise_

_I thought by now you'd realize_

_There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes_

Marianne smiled to herself as she gently cradled her newborn baby boy. No one except the doctors and the only two other queen consorts she trusted had been allowed in the room when she went through labor. The Emperor, of course, hadn't even been notified yet. The two other consorts, Erica li Britannia and Anastasia el Britannia, smiled and cooed, crowding close to see the boy. Erica had a single daughter named Cornelia while Anastasia had a little boy named Schneizel. Both were still rather young, and would eventually be rivals to Marianne's own child for the throne, and all three mothers would be drug into the battle. But for now, they would coo and giggle, and fawn over the newborn Eleventh Prince of Britannia.

"What are you going to name him?" Erica inquired, smiling at the new mother.

Marianne glanced thoughtfully up at the ceiling and couldn't help but think of one time when she and Jeremiah had been together, shortly before her pregnancy, she had asked him what he would name his child if he had a son, to which he promptly gave her a name she rather liked.

_There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes_

She smiled down at her first child and said, "I'll call him Lelouch."

"Lelouch?" Anastasia echoed, frowning in disdain and disapproval.

"I think it's lovely," Erica encouraged.

_Honey, you can't hide your lyin' eyes_

Marianne smiled to herself as she kissed the forehead of Lelouch vi Britannia, knowing that Jeremiah would have been both shocked and delighted at her choice.

Even when he was dead, she was still going to him for advice and approval.

* * *

><p>R&amp;R?<p>

*I suppose that, technically, the maid, Anastasia el Britannia, and Erica li Britannia are all OCs, but they barely appear, so I don't really think they should count.


End file.
